Egg-carrying case.



Nn. 676,354. y l Patented lune Il, |9ol. w. c-BAmE..

EGG CARRYING CASE.

(Application med my, 22, 19pm) (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

WILLIAM CHAINE, OF BROOKFIELD, NEV YORK.

EGG-CARRYING CSE.

SPEGIFIGATIGN forming' part of Letters Patent No. 676,354, dated June 111901.

l Application filed November 22, 1900. Serial No. 37.392. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CRAINE, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Brookfield, in the county of Madison and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Egg-Carrying Case, of which thefollowing is a specilication.

This invention relates to a packing-case for eggs, and has specialreference to an improved case of this character designed for use as anegg-carrier for the convenient handling or carrying about of eggs forsale or other purposes.

To this end the invention contemplates a simple and practicalconstruction of egg-carrying case having means for securely packing eggswithin the usual holders or cells irrespective of the quantity of eggswithin the case. In the accomplishment of this object the inventionprovides for always holding a tier of eggs arranged for access at thetop of the case, while at the same time permitting of the convenientfilling or partial filling of the case from the bottom thereof.

With these and other objects in view,which will more readily appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe novel construction, combination, and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of an egg-carrying caseembodying the improvements contemplated by the present invention. Fig. 2is a vertical sectional view thereof, showing a singlecellularegg-holder filled with eggs and held contiguous to the top ofthecase by the adjustable followerbottom, the view also illustrating indotted lines the manner of swinging over the top cover. Fig. 3 is adetail in perspective of the adjustable follower-bottom and thelocking-catches carried thereby.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the 'severalfigures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention the improvements are preferably associatedwith an eggholding or carrying case essentially consisting of arectangular box l, open at the top andV bottom and provided at the topedge thereof with an annular rabbeted cover-seat 2, which is adapted toreceive therein the flushseating top cover 3, which serves as a topclosure for the box.

The top cover 3 is designed to have a permanent connection with the bodyof the box l, while at the same time being capable of being thrownentirely to one side of the case or box, so as to fully uncover the topthereof and expose the eggs or other contents of the same. The preferredexpedient for accomplishing this result consists in the elnployment of apair of swinging supportinglinks 4, which are pivotally connected, re`spectively,'with the sides of the box l and the outer side of the topcover3. The saidlinks are arranged', respectively, at diametricallyopposite sides of the box and have one end thereof permanently pivoted,as at 5, to the pivot brackets or plates 6, fitted to the sides of thebox-body l and disposed at one side of the vertical transverse center ofthe box to permit of the head 3 being swung entirely over the top of thebox down upon one side thereof, as may be seen from the dotted positionindicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The ends of the supporting-links 4, opposite their pivotal connectionwith the brackets or plates 6, are provided with angled pintle portions7, adapted to extend inwardly over the top edge of the box-body. andloosely engage with the pivot eyes or staples 8, secured in the outersides of the box-cover,and

at this point Vit is to be observed that when i the top cover 3 is inposition within the seatV therefor the supporting-links 4 extendobliquely or at an inclination from their pivotal brackets or plates 6in a direction toward the transverse center of the box, so that thepintle portions 7 will have'a pivotal connection approximately at orcontiguous to the plane of the transverse center of the cover 3 in orderto permit the saine to be swung to the position referred to. When thecover 3 is closed over the open top of the box-body l, the same may beconveniently fastened by any suitable fastening device located at theopposite side of the center of the box from the links 4. Aconvenient andecient form of fastening consists of a simple fasteninghook 9,1ooselyconnected at 10 with the outer side of the cover 3 and adapted to engageover the contiguous edge of the box-body and preferably within a keeper1l at this IOO point. At a point upon the cover 3 diametrically oppositethe fastening-hook 9 the said cover is preferably provided with afingernotch 12, which is engaged by the finger When the fastening-hook 9is released,so that a simple drawing upon the cover will provide forswinging the same upwardly and laterally from the open top of the box.To facilitate this opening of the cover, the same is preferably providedcontiguous to the notch 12 with an undercut beveled edge 13.

The specified manner of connecting the cover with the box-body permitsthe cover after being elevated or slid out of its rabbeted seat to bemoved laterally and slid downward upon the outside of the box, so thatits lower edge will rest in approximately the same plane with the bottomof the box and its body portion will rest against the side of the box.This will be found of special advantage in egg-crates, as it is oftennecessary to arrange many of them close together, side by side, andunder such arrangement the use of a hinged cover would be veryundesirable, as in opening one box the cover thereof would extend acrossthe top of vanother box and interfere with the removal of the contentsthereof. .By the construction described the lids or covers of the boxesmay be slid downward between the several boxes grouped together in amanner that will be readily understood. Y

Whilethe case might be utilized in carrying d ierent kinds of articlestherein, still it is preferably designed for use as a carrier foreggsand is therefore designed to accommodate therein one or any number oftheusual cellular eggholders 14, whose individual cells are designed tohold the eggs in the usual manner. These cellular egg-holders 14 aredesigned to be held firmly packed within the body of the box 1 throughthe medium of an adjustable follower-bottom 15, which is of a shapeconforming to the crosssectional shape of the box-body and is of a sizeloosely registering therein, so as to be freely adjustable, so as toaccommodate itself -to the number of cellular egg holders 14 within thecase. To provide for holding the adjustable follower-bottom 15 at anypoint of adjustment within the box-bodyl, the said bottom is provided atthe outer side thereof with a pair of oppositely-arranged lockingcatches16, which are adapted to respectively engage the diametrically oppositeinner sides of the box-body, and thus provide for evenly holding thefollower-bottom in position.

The preferable construction of lockingcatches 16 is shown in thedrawings,each of the said catches essentially consisting of an openspring-wire frame bent into a crescent form and having at its terminalsthe engaging horns 17, normally projecting beyond the contiguous edge ofthe bottom 15, so as to have an active engagement with the pairedkeepernotches 18, formed in the inner sides of the box-body. Thesekeeper-notches are ,paired in spaced relation corresponding to thespaced relation of the terminal engaging horns 17 of the spring-wirecatches 16 and are formed in all of the sides of the box-body, so thatthe follower-bottom need not be turned to a special position in theinsertion thereof through the open bottom of the box-body.

The terminal engaging Vhorns 17 of the spring-wire frames 16 looselyengage with the holding-guides 19, preferably in the form of staples oreyes fitted in the outer side of the follower-bottom, and intermediatethe horns 17 each spring-wire frame 1.6 has the outer side portion 2Othereof coiled to form an eye 2l, loosely engaging a suitable fastening22, secured in the bottom and constituting a fulcrum-point which permitsthe engaging horns 17 to be drawn back within the plane of the bottomand then to spring forward again into engagement with the keeper-notches18 when brought into alinement therewith. The inner side portion 23ofeach spring-wire catch or frame 16 is provided with a grip 24, and thegrips of the separate catches or frames 16 are arranged in opposingrelation, so that by grasping both grips at the same time between thefingers and drawing the same toward each other the engaging horns ofboth catches will be drawn inward within the plane of the bottom, thuspermitting the follower to be freely moved within the box-body to anydesired position. Upon releasing the inward pressure upon the frames orcatches 16 the horns 17 thereofwill again spring out into any of thenotches- 1S with which they may be brought in alinement. Y

To carry out the purpose of the invention, a swinging handle-bail 25 `ispivotally connected with the top portion of the box-body,

whereby the same may be conveniently carried.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described egg-carrying case will bereadily apparent to those familiar with the art without furtherdescription, and it will be understood that various changes in the form,proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthis invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. A case of the class described, comprising a box-body open at the topand bottom, a top arranged to cover and uncover the open top of thebox-body, a follower-bottom adjustable within the body, and box-engagingcatches mounted on said bottom and operable from the lower side thereof,substantially as described.

2. A case of the class described comprising a box open at top and bottomand having the top rabbeted to receive a Hush-seating cover, afollower-bottom adjustable within the body, a cover adapted to bereceived in the rab- IOO IIO

beted top and having one edge undercut on a bevel for the purposespecified, and swinging supporting-links pivotally connected at theiropposite ends to the box and cover for allowing the cover to slidedownward and rest against the outside of the box, substantially asdescribed. l

3. A case of the class described comprising a box open at top and bottomand having the top rabbeted to receive a flush-seating cover, afollower-bottom adjustable Withi n the body, a cover adapted to bereceived in the rabbeted top and having one edge undercut on a bevel forthe purpose specified, swinging supporting-links pivotally connected attheir opposite ends to the box and cover, for allowing the cover toslide downward and rest against the outside of the box, a finger-holdadjacent to the beveled edge of the cover, and a fastening at theopposite edge of the cover adapted to engage the box-body,snbstantiallyas described.

4. In a case of the class described, a boxbody, a follower-bottomadjustable within the box-body, and oppositely-disposed locking-catchesmounted on thc lower side of the adjustable follower-bottom and adaptedby their own resiliency to engage the box-body, and also havingoppositely-arranged disconnected gripping portions for simultaneousengagement by the fingers, substantially as described. i

5. In a case of the class described, a boxbody, an adjustablefollower-bottom adjustable therein',and spring-wire catches arranged inopposite relation upon the lower side of the follower-bottom and adaptedby their own resiliency to engage the box-body, and provided withoppositely located gripping portions which extend inwardly from thebox-engaging portions and are disposed in proximal relation forsimultaneous engagement by the fingers.

G. In a case of the class described, the boxbody provided at the innersides thereof with keeper-notches, an adjustable fo1lower-bottoniWorking within the box-body, and oppositely-arran ged lookin g-catohesmounted upon the under side of the bottom, each of the said catchesconsisting of an approximately crescent-shaped spring-Wire'frame havinga plurality of integral terminal engaginghorns normally projectingbeyond the contiguous edge of the bottom and having their outer sideportions connected with a xed point of attachment upon the bottom eachspring-wire frame being further provided at its inner side portion witha grip, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD E. WHITFORD, EMELINE B. WHITFORD.

